Former NFL QB sentenced to jail time, loses license after DUI charge

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WKRC) — Former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler will serve four days in Williamson County Jail and lose his Tennessee driver's license following a plea deal for a DUI charge. Cutler, 42, pleaded guilty before a Williamson County judge on Tuesday, according to multiple published reports.

As part of the plea agreement, Cutler will pay a $350 fine, serve four days in jail starting Sept. 29, and be on unsupervised probation for one year. He is also required to attend a DUI safety class. His Tennessee driver's license has been revoked.

Cutler was arrested on October 17, 2024, in downtown Franklin, Tennessee, and charged with DUI, possession of a handgun while under the influence, and implied consent and failure to exercise due care to avoid a collision. The handgun charge was dropped as part of the plea deal.

According to a Franklin Police Department press release from 2024, officers at the scene of the collision "noticed a strong odor of alcohol" on Cutler. Cutler was also slurring his words and had bloodshot eyes. Officers stated they noticed Cutler "staggering, swaying, and heavy-footed while walking. I also noticed that he spoke thick-tongued, slurred, and mumbled."

Cutler refused field sobriety tests and was taken to a local hospital, where a blood sample was obtained through a blood search warrant.

Authorities found "two firearms in his vehicle, including a loaded pistol," the department alleged. According to the arrest affidavit, Cutler allegedly attempted to flee the scene in his Dodge Ram truck and offered the other driver $2,000 not to call the police.

Cutler was the 11th overall draft pick of the Denver Broncos out of Vanderbilt in 2006. He played three seasons there before a trade to the Chicago Bears. After eight seasons there, his career finished in 2017 with the Miami Dolphins.